Hidden Knowledge
by HolmesSlice
Summary: Unbidden nightmares are routine for Aurora. They become more and more vivid. Hidden in the dark recesses of her mind lies the truth. Does Aurora have the strength to deal with the dark haunting shadows of her past? And what does this have to do with the long since gone enemy of hers?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, it belongs to its respective owners. I only own the OC characters**

**Hidden Knowledge**

**Chapter One**

Walking step by step down the main spiral staircase to the small wooden doorway whose hinges creaked breaking the deafening silence. It had led to the east wing of the castle. "Mama" a small child called out while slowly walking through the dimly lit hallway. Small sections of the walls had grown thick with soot giving away the neglect. She kept calling out as she remained as focused as much as a five-year old could. The shadows danced in the edges of candlelight that looked so painfully like the men who had tried to hurt her.

Her childlike mind could not fully comprehend what had happened on her birthday last year. All she had known was that she had a court jester mimic some of her most favorite animals that she giggled with great mirth. His eyes were a deep emerald that she had commented about how they matched mama's necklace. It elicited a warm smile from the jester.

She could only stand there in her shift completely confused as to why the jester was cloaked all in black and a mask covering the lower half of his face and a deep forest green cloak. The eyes that held such warmth now seemed scary and evil like the villains in the fairy tales her mother read. A stifled and chocked cry was all that she could emit when he roughly took her into his arms.

He deftly tied her up. The ropes were itchy which made her pout and whine. The jester gave her a deep scowl. The lines in his forehead only made him more terrifying and she quieted immediately. Even her tutor's glare was not as scary. She was lowered into a basket where she was slowly lowered down the immense wall. Only then did she realize it.

She did not understand the concept of a kidnapping. She did however understand that they were taking away from her mama and papa. A fear bubbled up from her stomach and up into her lungs where she screamed so loudly that rooms below her started to light up one by one. Knight guards that had not been murdered quickly ran to the princess. It was too late, she was gone.

"Aurora," Mulan said concernedly as she shook her awake, "You're still having nightmares."

Aurora weakly nodded as she felt a chill. She was soaked with sweat. Her mouth was dry. Her heart hammered violently in her chest and she gasped for air as if it were her last.

"It's not the same nightmare though," Aurora said quietly as she carefully stood up, wobbling slightly only to be caught by an even more concerned Mulan.

"What was the nightmare?" Mulan quietly asked knowing that it might be too soon for Aurora to open up given her state of distress but nightmares could have hidden messages and truths long since lost in these memories. Maybe this was the case now.

Aurora took a measured breath and then exhaled. She repeated the process several times to forcibly calm herself knowing that had she tried to talk about it now she would only bring herself to hysterics.

"It was not so much a nightmare per say," Aurora said thinking, "It was not a new place or situation, it was not abstract. It was a repressed memory."

Aurora closed her eyes as she felt the fear bubble from her stomach as it had all those years ago. She closed her eyes as a way of not allowing the tears to fall that were now prickling at the corners of her eyes. A few drops had escaped and moistened her eyelashes clumping them into small bunches. Mulan place a reassuring hand on Aurora's shoulder.

"It seems another effect of the nightmare is that it bids the darkest memories to come forward no matter how locked up they were. It was as if these memories had been locked up in a trunk wrapped in the toughest chains and locked by a Seelie lock. Yet it simply sweeps its emaciated hand over it opening it as if it were a child's toy lock." Aurora could say no more.

Mulan nodded. There was no need to say anything further. She had learned about some of Aurora's story. She had learned about how Maleficent had cast the sleeping curse on Aurora. Though no one could understand why fully as Aurora had not slighted Maleficent. Mulan remembered the stories she had heard while the campfire flickered; its warmth seeping through her armor which was welcome against the chilly nights. Mulan could remember Philip's voice so clear, deep so focused to get Aurora's story out and at times his voice cracking. Mulan heart clenched tightly. She had respected him so much and perhaps in another lifetime she might not have allowed this respect to blossom into something more than friendship. Maybe but so frequently did she wonder what was the value of returning time after time if true love was eternal as she heard throughout the years. Did that mean that lifetime after lifetime she would meet Philip and have to steel her heart?

Aurora studied Mulan's face flashed emotions of disappointment, sadness and resignation quickly that a blink would have been enough to miss it. Aurora hadn't and her mind's gears slowly turned as she wondered why Mulan had looked so pensive or rather who. As briefly as her mind turned to these thoughts did Mulan's tough shell shine through again. Mulan was a woman of action. Whether it was because of her personality or a self defense mechanism Aurora did not know. Perhaps it was a little bit of both she concluded as she followed Mulan.

Birds chirped as they walked carefully through the forest. They might have stayed away from ogre territory but that did not mean the could not be cautious. It was known that the ogres were sending more and more scouts up the mountainside to gauge the fogrees that might have existed. One small snap of a twig could be their deaths if they chanced on an ogre.

As they walked for what seemed like an eternity a mist began to envelop the landscape. Mulan frowned and turned to Aurora, "It looks like there is a storm brewing. We must find shelter soon." Aurora only nodded her agreement and they trudged onward as the mist began to form droplets on their hair, dampen their clothes. Aurora began to lift her legs higher to fight against the heavying garments. She wondered if it her wiser to find new clothing that would give her more freedom and hide her identity had there been men like...

Aurora stifled a small cry as memories of that night flooded her mind unwittingly. Mulan stopped and turned on her heel as Aurora shook her head, pointing her head out to the path before them. Mulan nodded respecting Aurora's need to be alone in her thoughts.

Soon the forest began to darken. It was still a few hours before dusk. They were still looking for suitable shelter and from the encroaching darkness they knew they would need more than suitable or risk being whisked off to Arawn's Kingdom by consumption. Then they saw the cabin. A huge breath of relief escaped them both.

More promising still was that the cabin had looked deserted for some time if the dust inside gave any indication. Both stared a bit solemn by the fact. Yes it had been a great boon to find the cabin deserted but it only increased the desolation of the situation. More and more people of their realm were falling prey by the dangers of the ogres, and the danger of disease that seemed to all too consuming.

Mulan picked the lock and smiled as she managed to unlock it. She urged Aurora to stay a few strides away as she carefully opened the door. She looked upward for any signs of a booby-trap and found none. Nevertheless she waved Aurora to move to the side of the door. There was no trap. Only an empty cabin. They entered and Aurora began to tidy up the areas they were going to occupy. There was no importance in cleaning up the entire cabin even if her love of cleanliness desired her to do so. Mulan exited to find firewood and hoped the mist had not dampened the twigs and branches considerably or that she encountered many green twigs.

After an hour so Mulan managed to not only to find a good amount of wood to have a fire last through the night she had managed to snag a few rabbits for dinner and berries for dessert. It certainly was not the kind of meal either her or Aurora was accustomed to. However she knew it was important that they remained nourished for the journey ahead though neither knew where they could go.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, it belongs to its respective owners. I only own the OC characters**

**Hidden Knowledge**

**Chapter Two**

Mulan roasted the rabbits turning them over the fire. She knew Aurora would be apprehensive eating meat where she could still the head and spine. For some odd reason she could eat some of the oddest foods of the wealthy such as one dish she could not recall the name that was made of oat-meale, blood and animal parts-liver or heart, some sort of organ meat that much she was sure. She began to remove the meat from the bones serving them onto a plate. After she removed as much meat as possible opted to bury the carcass outside as a way of disguising the aroma. ogres may have preferred tearing raw flesh off a still beating animal or human but they would ultimately not care about the preparation of flesh so long as they could sink their teeth into it.

Mulan entered as noticed Aurora managing to work the water pump. The water seemed fresh enough. There seemed to be an underground stream running through the area. Though precautions had to be taken and the water had to be purified. Aurora had managed to find a very large kettle that after some washing could be used to boil a large amount of water. The promise of the boiling water meant they could wash the mugs that Aurora had also found to make tea from the leaves Mulan had kept in her satchel, as well as a bit of bathing that went beyond a pediluvy. Both Aurora and Mulan smiled at the promise of a bath even if it could only consist of a washrag. Even if there had been a slipper-bath in one corner there was no guarantee that they could fill it with hot water one large kettle at a time and ensure its prolonged warmth. This would only risk both of them getting the chill.

Their dinner of rabbit and an amusing dessert of berries were eaten with Aurora claiming they were the sweetest berries she had ever tasted when Mulan retorted that hunger would make anything more delicious. Aurora laughed and agreed. They had certainly been running on empty since leaving Snow's castle. Mulan began to boil more water as she prepared their baths.

Aurora sat pensively watching lightening and thunder loom beyond the horizon promising a torrential downpour. Hopefully the cabin did not leak otherwise neither of them could not get much needed rest. Removing her gloves Mulan flexed her fingers feeling uncomfortable without them and began to remove her leather armor. It has been long enough since she had removed them she noticed that her fingernails need a long overdue trimming. Mulan then unclasped her pauldron placing it to one side. Immediately she could feel relief in her shoulders as she removed the weight not realizing how overworked her muscles had been. She began to unstrap her breastplate that was connected to the plackart and fauld.

It had been years since she had been in this state of undress in front of anyone. She began to feel conscious knowing she would leave herself vulnerable and exposing the years of battles that scarred her caramel skin. Ridding herself of the rest of her clothing she was now in nothing more than her cotton shirtwaist, bindings and cotton panties tied on each side. She slowly removed them feeling the goosebumps on her body. She took a quick breath of anxiety and calmed herself before preceding with the towel bath.

Mulan dipped the towel in the hot water and began to wipe off the grime and sweat. She closed her eyes and relished in the heat. She kneaded the towel allowing the heat to work into a knot in her shoulder. Soon Mulan had finished her towel bath and had dressed back into her bindings, cotton shirtwaist, cotton panties and the waffle-weave cotton tights which would provide her with extra warmth.

"It's your turn Aurora," Mulan said tiredly. The warmth and steam of the bath had relaxed Mulan and she could feel the work of the sandman sprinkling his sleep dust. "Let me empty out the used water and replenish it with warm water."

Aurora nodded and waited for Mulan to finish her task. Soon enough Aurora had begun the task of her towel bath. She closed her eyes and remembered a time when she could take a proper hot bath in the large bathroom in the castle. The bathtub was the size of a small pool with a chilled bath immediately to the right side of it and a sauna to left side of the room. There had even been a small room where Aurora would have her treatments of emerald gem massage to balance her energys and heal with rare extracts, the crushed Hiberian pearl treatment to keep her skin pale and brightened for a youthful slow, the Simisian hand massage to keep her hands elegant while waving to crowd below from the processional balcony or the 24k gold treatment that was insisted on to maintain her youth to prevent the fast aging that came from the stress of royal life.

She missed it all but most of all she missed the lovely compliments Philp would pepper her with. His sweet complements that compared her to shining sun, the soft rays of the moon, the softest fur from the lowlands and the honeysuckle lemon scent of her hair, the supple softness of lips, cheek and the sensitivity of her neck.

Aurora closed her eyes and while she felt hopeful on finding Philip she still felt saddened and fearful all at once. She could feel a few tears fall down her cheeks. After a few moments she continued to wash herself. She dried herself and stared at her outfit and slowly put on all the layers of clothing. She put on her cotton chemise it's softness reminded her of happier times. She slid her dress over her head adjusting her breast into the tuttenseck. She tied her corset over the dress then fastened her cloak with the broach Philip had given her during their courtship.

She finally spoke turning to Mulan "Do you think it is time I lose the princess clothing and find something more practical?" Mulan looked pensive for a moment and nodded. "It would definitely allow you more freedom to run to safety. The only issue right now is where to find the clothing."

"We could go to my castle," Aurora said quietly, "I feel as if I need to go there. I think there might be answers there."

Mulan frowned slightly and wondered how they would even make it the castle. It was overrun by an ogre army and what happened if the ogre king had decided to take residence. She hoped that he had decided to choose another castle.

"All right," Mulan nodded, "We leave after the storm has passed."

Author's notes

1. I took great artistic license with Mulan's and know I more than likely got it wrong. For the history buffs out there I apologize. I used Google images to get the names.

2. For Aurora's clothing I used the following Wikipedia pages: Petticoat, Corset and 1795–1820_in_fashion. Also give the outfit some leeway when it comes the chamise (of shift) underneath the dress and assume it was specially tailored to fit under the dress without being seen.

3. I got some of the different terms from I wanted to sort of show their language in the process of transitioning from the Olden language to a more modern language. I figured it could be seen with how they pepper with their language with older terms but that it is slowly being phased out.

4. I got the term tuttenseck from historyextra dot com /lingerie. It is about medieval lingerie and I highly recommend reading it. It is fascinating.

5. The treatments mentioned are real. I got it from an article found on Huffingpost titled "The 8 Most Expensive Spa Treatments"

6. Lastly as always please read and review. If you hate it rant away, if you loved it please rave. If you thought it was mediocre then please tell me. I am shooting for two reviews. Hopefully I can get them. (:

See you in chapter three!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Once Upon a Time and its characters are owned by its respective owners. I making nothing from this.**

**Please read and review, and enjoy! (:**

**Hidden Knowledge**

**Chapter Three**

In preparation for the storm Mulan had gathered some more firewood expecting that the storm would last at most a day before it would be swept away to the north by the southern plains winds.

The storm raged much throughout the day and well into the night. Aurora worried about a lightning strike hitting a tree nearby causing it to crash into the cabin. Mulan shook her head and rattled off how statistically that was less likely than a flash flood. Aurora had not been comforted by Mulan's matter-of-fact approach. More so now that she had been given something else to fret over.

They slept through the night in shifts. It was not a peaceful night for Aurora as more repressed memories made their way from the shadowy recesses of her mind. She was a little girl of seven years of age who ran through the castle corridors moving to and fro to avoid the court that seemed to descend in the last few months when the new buds had appeared.

She swung open the door and crashed herself against the velvety folds of her mother's dress.

"Mama," Aurora sobbed and hiccupped, "Philip is such a..." a momentary pause, a scrunching of a nose, and widened eyes knowing what she wanted to say, "rattlepate buffoon!"

Her mama's eyes widened and narrowed. Aurora's bottom lip trembled at her mother's glare knowing full well what it meant. "I'm sorry mama but Philip was viciously cruel this morning."

"What did Philip say? Aurora," her mama said softly as she gently wiped the tears from Aurora's face.

Aurora suddenly jumped up and landed on edge of the bed on her stomach. The bed was a bit too high for to climb in easily and with a few wiggles from her legs, and her arms grasping the bed-clothes she hoisted herself up. She waited for an exasperated sigh from her mama at her impropriety as Ms. Albin did constantly during Aurora's deportment classes. Aurora finally sat up, her legs dangling over the edge of the soft mattress and started to pick at her dress.

"Aurora, what happened, my dove" her mama said softly.

"Philip repeated gossip he had heard about you mama and asked if they were true! He also asked what I did wrong to have people look at me so oddly..." Aurora said heatedly and flabbergasted, "How could he even think to ask me? He is like family and he thought I did something wrong? I know I put frogs once in his boots but that was after he dumped a mouse on my head! Mama! A mouse!"

Her mama's face flinched in pain. The rumors had gotten worse over the years. So easily forgotten was the history of the Queen's life when it suited the court to forget. They had long since settled to drag her name and reputation through the mud. The bitterness of the prattling mothers who had desperately flung their daughters in the path of the King hoping to catch his eye. They saw her as an intruder, someone not worthy of the King's love, someone who did not work to earn his love. They were always vicious and from the whispering that made it back to her, they were quickly casting their judgement and glances at Aurora.

In a world where a male or female heir meant the ruination of an ancestral line always plagued the Queen's mind and heart. Princess Aurora would never be able to hold the title of Queen on her own. She would never be allowed to hold a title, or lands unless they were in the possession of her future husband. A ridiculous world the Queen told herself and wished the strength to change. She knew they would accuse her of chousing the fortune, titles and lands from the King. Once those bone boxes of the court would be open, it would be impossible to close it again.

She could see the turned up noses, pointed looks made behind her daughter's back. The Queen knew what they thought. All the years that the King went without a wife and when he finally did the Queen had the audacity to bear him _a girl._ As if the Queen could control that kind of fate.

The Queen knew she would have to sit Aurora down and explain the on dit that were following them like a dark cloud. She would also have to tell Aurora about the cruel realities of the world they lived it, and the painful life the Queen had endured because of one powerful evil witch that the Queen had indelibly brought on herself.

Aurora's eyes fluttered opened at the gentle shake of Mulan's hands.

"It's dawn," Mulan said quietly studying Aurora's face for several moments as the morning sun lit up the small cabin and after several long pauses, "you had another nightmare?"

Aurora shook her head and bit her lip. "It was a memory that I had forgotten. It was a conversation I had with my mama before she had revealed her life and what happened with," a pause as Aurora shut her eyes fearing what muttering that witch's name would bring but steeling herself to go forward, "Maleficent."

Mulan nodded slowly. She had heard that the Queen had history with the witch but she was never really able to learn more. Even Philip did not know the full details of what transpired between the Queen and Maleficent. Though she could hazard a guess that whatever did happen it was not pleasant.

"I don't really remember what happened," Aurora said exasperated, "I feel as if I need to remember. I suppose that is why I want to head home. Maybe I can find answers there?"

**Author's Notes:**  
1. A lot of the older terms are used from the Regency era. Credit goes to ladysilk dot net (Regency Era Thieves and Sporting Slang). I used google for the insults.  
2. The disparity of men and women were also inspired by Regency era (Pride and Prejudice and the Mr. Collins plot point is a good example I believe)  
3. I am going to reveal the Queen's history soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time owned by its respective owners; I make no money from this.**

**Hidden Knowledge - Chapter Four**

There was a momentary break and a few rays shone creating a halo on some of the alder trees. No bird chirped their daily tune, no rabbits hopped about, no squirrels scurried along the forest floor. Utter silence had fallen over the landscape. Looking upward Mulan had finally understood the severity of the storm. The eye of the storm was slowly passing over them meaning they would soon enough deal with the tail end of the storm, Mulan cursed at herself for not collecting enough wood or enough kindling for a situation like this.

"Of course," she thought, "it is always the fact that I forget to remember little things like this." During her travels with Philip he had always commented about her peculiar ways. Mulan was an extremely skilled warrior with some limited strategic ability yet could be so scatterbrained, though she hid this weakness as best as she could.

"But it is in the heat of battle when you really shine," Philip said amusedly, smirking as if he had a piece of candy on his tongue, "your ability to adapt, change and be creative during battle is utterly amazing."

Mulan could feel the muscles of her neck tighten completely stifling an all too feminine gasp. She clenched her jaw and gave a quick nod.

"Thank you your majesty" Mulan said biting the inside of her cheek as not to give away any emotion more than that of a warrior-for-hire. That was what she essentially was, wasn't she? Yes there had been times when they had helped each other in battle but her job was to assist him. Assist him in finding his true love.

Mulan shook her head and quietly walked being particularly cautious of twigs that she may step on. She had to recall what Philip had said about situations like this. He had been particularly skilled for survival and had given her several tips of what to do when in a bind.

Standing alone in the forest, Mulan felt a chill seep through her armor. The storm would make its way back no doubt. She had several tasks to do now. It was clear that there would be no dry wood anywhere. Mulan would have to accept with damp and green wood. Thankfully hope was not lost but it certainly would require a bit more time and careful planning.

As for nourishment it would have to be another round of berries but as for the rest of the meal Mulan would have liked something more than tea and berries. She scratched the forest floor with her foot concentrating on the northern side of the trees and found several types of edible mushrooms. Mulan stripped off the lichen that grew on the bark of the tree.

Mulan continued to walk around the forest and heard rushing water. She only hoped that the river had not swelled too much due to the storm. She also hoped that her comment about flash floods would not come back to haunt her.

The once babbling brook was a swifter but manageable river. Mulan had remembered Philip's instruction about surviving in the forest. She had obtained the lichen, the mushroom and the berries. Though she stopped at larvae, she couldn't get behind on that idea. She remembered Philip's smirk about his detailed depiction of its texture, taste, and smell. Mulan shuddered as she placed her satchel quietly onto the forest floor.

Unclasping the buckles she searched for some sort extra material that could serve as a makeshift net, twine and soon enough the collected branches. Unfortunately she would have to improvise but the idea she had was to enclose a part of the brook to trap the fish. By making some sort of noise and disturbance by that side of the enclosure she hoped that she could panic the fish right in her makeshift net.

The idea worked reasonably well with her managing to capture enough fish to last the night into early next morning. Then came a loud grunt and roar that Mulan could guess was about half a klick or so away and only one creature made a noise like that, ogres. They were making their way to her. Her eyes widened, her palms began to sweat, her heart began to race as adrenaline coursed through her body.

She swiftly stepped out of the water gathered her things wanting to head back the cabin. Yet she knew she would have to scout the area to determine if they were merely some scouts or if a dreaded camp was nearby. Mulan wrapped up the fish after they had stopped squirming, the mushrooms, lichen and berries in her satchel.

Looking around she decided that it would be best to leave her satchel and large bundle of wood and kindle behind. It was not as if there would be any survivors up here not with more and more ogre scouts roaming the areas. Mulan managed to say downwind of the ogres which was both very lucky if only very odorous for Mulan.

It seemed that they were only scouts. With their grunts and gestures they had been coming up the mountain from the opposite direction. Mulan looked at the direction they had been coming from and the path they seemed most likely to take. She frowned as she realized they were heading very near the cabin.

The ogre scouts moved back from where they came from. The light drizzle that would precede the raging storm meant that the scouts had to return to their camp and Mulan had to make it back to the cabin. The storm was in raging as she ran to her satchel and bundle of wood. Thankfully the sound of the storm covered the sound of her running.

Running back to the cabin Mulan had a sudden sense of dread. She tried to stamp it out of her system but knew it was her intuition. Philip had once told her to never ignore intuition. "Don't use it to make a snap judgment, Mulan," Philip had said one day as they walked through the forest, "but use it as a tool of discernment. Your intuition has already saved us enough times where it should warrant a bit more respect, wouldn't you say?" Philip's voice lilted giving way to the smirk he wore on his face.

**Author's notes:**

**1. Some of the survival tips are real. Thanks to e-how, google etc.**

**2. I'm not sure what I want to do with the ogres. (I have a theory that I may or may not explore here..not entirely sure)**

**3. Also these fast updates are not going to be a common occurrence, sorry! It is a combination of when I get hit with inspiration (watching weekly does help), school (pharmacology is hard) and exhaustion levels (sometimes I don't want to do anything).**

**4. Read and review, thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Everything is owned by their respective owners, I make nothing.**

**Hidden Knowledge**

**Chapter 5**

When Belle freed Philip from his cursed fate, Mulan and Philip had been thrusted together.

That night as they talked in the tavern until dawn Mulan found herself appraising the man in front of her. When he started discussing about some princess she quickly and subtly changed the subject. She did not want to think of the princess for now. Now she wanted to be the center of attention if only momentarily. Even though deep down her innermost part of her brain chastised her for out-of-character behavior. However she quickly shut thoughts up with the reasoning that being the center of attention could mean a new job.

Philip had accepted Mulan's refusal of speaking his intimate name and continued the conversation. Philip and Mulan discussed of their history. They learned about each other's military history and the discrimination they faced. His because of his royal upbringing and hers because she was born a female. Though they faced different levels of discrimination both could sympathize with the other's plight and achieved goals.

Mulan noticed the tense muscles of Philip's neck. His eyes hooded with an array of emotions that would flash so quickly that for any bystander he appeared emotionless. Guilt, anger, despair, hopelessness, worry were only several emotions he displayed. No doubt after his lost true love.

Mulan wanted to prove to herself that her behavior earlier that evening was nothing more than to secure a job. She did so by carefully broaching the subject of his distress.

"Your royal highness," Mulan said quietly as she slowly took a sip of her ale waiting for Philip to wake from his stupor, "may I speak plainly with you on a rather difficult and trying subject?"

Philip slowly looked up leaving Mulan's heart to race if even ever so slightly. There were several moments of silence as each mulled over her question. Mulan regretting asking the request and Philip wondering if he could handle the future, no doubt painful, discussion.

Not trusting his voice at the moment, he nodded slightly. Mulan took a deep breath as if the air contained courage that she could consume. Even if not true, it did strengthen her resolve.

"Her royal highness you brought up earlier," Mulan said quietly leaving her head bowed and staring at her half-finished ale, "I've heard rumors. Are they true?"

Philip frowned as a rush of painful memories flashed before his eyes. So painful were they that it seemed to play in front of him like some sort of melodramatic moving picture. He remembered her laughter, her sweetness, her innocence and utter fear when Maleficent had come for her as she did for the princess's mother.

"Yes," Philip said tight-lipped willing his eyes to not shed yet more tears, "it's true."

Mulan frowned unsure how to continue the conversation with some sort of decorum. She bit her lip then turned her head to stare into Philip's eyes. She could imagine how once his eyes sparkled but had now turned dim, and muddled.

"You want to find your princess," Mulan said, feeling bold to continue when he nodded and said and did nothing to stop her, "I can offer my services as a warrior-for-hire to assist you in finding your royal highness..."

"Aurora," Philip said quietly, "her name was Aurora."

"Her royal highness," Mulan said acknowledging her name with a nod but refusing to show any disrespect to any royal family, "is still under the curse?"

"Aye," Philip confirmed, "Maleficent had cast the sleeping curse and turned me into the yaoguai to prevent me looking for her. Then I met Belle... and you."

He turned to her and gave a soft smile. The smile did not reach his eyes but both knew that the two interesting girls had given him something he never thought possible: hope. Hope had coursed through him giving him a stronger resolve and lighting the fire in him to fight for his love, to find her and save her.

Through their journeys they had learned much about each other and from each other. Where Philip was weak in his stance, she was weak in her strategizing. Where Philip learned about tai-chi to deal with his stress, Mulan learned about how to survive in the wild. Each complemented each as warriors, friends, and in spirit.

The last advice Philip had taught Mulan before finally finding Princess Aurora was to trust her intuition.

Mulan slowed her pace to a cautious crawl. She moved around to stay within the cabin's blindspot. The inhabitant had surely thought they were so far up into the wilderness that they did not need to think of security. She heard them. It sounded that there were three men in the cabin. She flattened herself against the cabin wall as much as she was able. She side-stepped slowly to the window noticing that none of the men had thought to guard the window.

They were not warriors. Had any of them been a warrior they would have had one man stand guard at the outside to investigate any noise that was outside of the norm. Another would have guarded the window. That would have been to prevent any intruder, who had gotten past the outside guard, from sneaking in unawares.

That gave Mulan a moment of relief. Even though with her being outnumbered three to one, and Princess Aurora being someone they could use against her. Though Mulan knew she had to prepare for the worst and assume that they were warriors who were hiding their ability by appearing as common men caught up in a storm. The ideal would have been that these were really common men who had gotten caught in the storm trekking their way much as they had.

She knocked the cabin wall and everything stilled to an anticipatory silence.

"I know there are three of you," Mulan said with as much strength, and forcefulness as she could muster, "I need to know that Aurora is safe."

She dropped the royal title hoping that any thoughts of using Aurora as a ransom for any wealthy aristocrat left in the area who could trade much-needed goods such as hunting gear, makeshift shelters such as tarp, tents, and rope as well as anything else needed to live as a nomad.

"We've got you outnumbered," one of them growled, "but you want to know the wench is safe?"

She could hear the squeal of Princess Aurora as she was flung to the floor and commanded to talk. Mulan had figured that the soft mumblin was instructing Princess Aurora on what to say next. If the princess had any sense she would obey.

"They're thieves! Old warriors from my kingdom!" Aurora yelled before she was silenced.

"Stupid wench, you damn insufferable royal," the guard growled showing the betrayal he felt, "you abandoned us when we needed you most!"

"I'm sorry," Princess Aurora whimpered, "I never did anything that you accuse me of."

Mulan decided to try to reason with them. She wanted to avoid a confrontation by any means possible. Especially with an ogre camp down south from their cabin.

"Listen," Mulan said, "The storm is swinging back around and there were scouts south of us. They will cross our path after the storm is over. That gives us a couple of days at most."

"If what you say is true," one of the men. He had said it hesitantly revealing himself to being the underling possibly to the other two warriors. Perhaps he was still a page, an apprentice knight. Mulan took note the voices of the three men the first to insult Aurora must have been the second in command and the one who hesitated must have been still in training. The knight who spoke with such disappointment and betrayal must have been the leader.

"There's nothing to lose on either side," Mulan reasoned, "now is not the time to cause such a ruckus."

"I don't think you're in the position to reason," the leader of the pack replied, "we're simply here to deal with these traitorous princess. She left us to rot!"

"I understand that you feel betrayed by your princess, your kingdom," Mulan sighed as she had deduced correctly, "but here is not the time and place. Let us have the night to eat, rest and plan on how to continue our separate journeys without crossing the ogres."

There was silence when the leader peeked his head out of the window. There was more bark than bite. As much as she was trying to figure him, he was doing the same. It seemed that they were both warriors, knew this and were trying to gauge if each other would be hostile.

"I want you three to exit the front door," Mulan said, "Come around the cabin. Let us discuss this plainly and civilly as fellow warriors."

"All right," the leader spoke out, "and no funny business."

"Agreed."

Mulan waited and looked into the cabin and noticed the three men exit the front door. It seemed that while they had an interesting start they were less inclined to a confrontation as she was. As soon as they exited, she motioned Aurora to lock the door. Mulan dropped her satchel and supplies through the window and nodded to the window. Aurora quickly went to close and lock the window.

"Well warrioress?" the leader called out, "Don't keep us waiting."

Mulan sighed and walked to the front of the cabin. Because of her years of training even when she was at rest she kept her hand near the hilt of her sword. The leader raised an eyebrow and Mulan responded with a raised eyebrow of her own. The leader smiled at the warrioress.

"You three need to understand that your royal highness did not betray or desert you."

"How could you possibly know what happened to us?" The leader lashed out angrily.

"I know because I assisted another in taking down yaoguai who turned to be a cursed Prince Philip."

The leader narrowed his eyes at this information. He was told something else entirely. His debriefing had told him something else entirely. He did not want to reveal the questions that were whirling in his mind. Mulan took the silence as permission to continue.

"I accompanied him on his travels to find her royal highness," Mulan continued, "she was placed under a sleeping curse hidden from all except for her true love. Both curses were cast by Maleficent."

The leader nodded but Mulan could see the disbelief in his eyes. Mulan reached down into her armor but also raised the hand that rested near the hilt of her sword as a silent message of no trickery. She pulled out a signet ring and a letter that had Prince Philip's seal and laid it on the ground and took several steps back. The leader stepped forward picking up the items to examine them. His eyes widening in surprise.

"If what you say is true," the leader said quietly, "then how was I debriefed such a different tale?"

"I am not sure," Mulan said, "the royal highness and I are headed back to her castle to look for answers to questions you are not privy to knowing. However with the storm fast approaching and the matter of the ogre scouts can we simply make a truce during the storm?"

"I don't see why not," the leader said as he approached the warrioress who did not even reach his shoulders but noted the fighting spirit in her chocolate-brown eyes, "to the truce."

Mulan and the leader shook hands. It was going to be an interesting two days.

**Author's notes: I would really appreciate a review (I accept everything). Thank you for the reads, the faves and the follows. :) Until chapter 6**


End file.
